Textile carding and drafting apparatus



Sept. 9, 1970 v. A. BURNHAM 3,530,542

TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Original Filed May '7, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 p 29, 1 10 1 v. A. BURNHAM 3,530,542

TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Original Filed May 7, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 p 1970 v. A. BURNHAM 3,530,542 7 TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Original Filed May 7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 g f M w 2 40 2 m6 ga 1A} e I 220 -z a w 20% F 2/6 C}.

Sept. 29, 1970 v. A. BURNHAM v TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed May 7, 1963 P 29, 1970 v. A. BURNHAM 3,530,542

TEXTILE CAI-(DING AND DRAFTING APPARATUS Original Filed May 7, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W Ml) m WM w /4! I United States Patent Ofice 3,530,542 Patented Sept. 29, 1970 3,530,542 TEXTILE CARDING AND DRAFTIN G APPARATUS Virgil A. Burnham, Saco, Maine, assignor to Maremont Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Continuation of application Ser. No. 509,461, Oct. 4, 1965, which is a division of application Ser. No. 278,727, May 7, 1963. This application June 7, 1968, Ser. No. 739,941

Int. Cl. D01g /46 US. Cl. 19-106 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carding and drafting apparatus comprising several cards arranged in a row for feeding a composite sliver to a drafting mechanism. The cards have their main cylinder shafts aligned and driven together. A multiple speed transmission drives all of the card feed rolls and dofler cylinders and is shiftable between operating and creep speeds. For feeding the plurality of slivers from the doffer cylinders of the cards to the drafting mechanism, there are provided sliver feeding rolls and an accumulator box, with the drafting mechanism being operated at a higher speed than the sliver feeding rolls to pick up excess sliver accumulated in the accumulator box. A quantity defining device establishes the amount of sliver from the drafting means to be collected in a can. Can changing apparatus is operative to shift a filled can from a sliver collecting position and an empty package can into the collecting position. A control system responsive to the quantity de fining device, and preferably to a sliver discontinuity de tector, is connected to the main card cylinder brake, to the drafting element brake and clutch and to the transmission means. It is effective upon a signal from a sliver discontinuity detecting means to energize both of the brakes and the clutch means to stop the entire apparatus, but effective upon a signal from the quantity defining device to stop only the drafting element, to shift the multiple speed transmission, and to change the cans while the card feed rolls and doffer cylinders are driven at a creep speed and the main card cylinders continue to be driven at operating speed. After the cans have been changed, the control system again drives the drafting element and the card feed rolls and doffer cylinders at operating speed.

put have been used for many years by reason of their known advantage of greatly reducing sliver handling. Their use is to be contrasted with the usual arrangement wherein each card is provided with a coiler for coiling into cans the sliver output of the card, a group of cans thereafter being used to feed a drafting mechanism to produce a single sliver output. It is the intermediate step of coiling into cans for thereafter feeding to a drafting mechanism which is avoided by the use of a multiple card system.

In spite of the known advantage of a multiple card system, they have not been much used because of the difficulties of operation and control inherent in such a system. That is to say, such problems as arise from the necessity for overall synchronization of the system, as for example, starting and stopping elements of the system without sliver breakage, as when changing from a full to empty can or other receptacle, or when sliver breakage, lap-ups or other failure of sliver delivery occurs, must be dealt with and solved if a commercially useful system is to be provided.

Accordingly, it is a major object of the invention to provide a completely integrated, commercially useful multiple card apparatus having a single sliver delivery from a drafting mechanism operated as part of the overall system.

More specifically, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a multiple carding and drafting apparatus of the general type having a group of from four to twelve cards which are arranged in side by side relation to produce slivers which are together drafted by a draw box and so combined into a single sliver, which is deposited in a coil in a can. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown, it is assumed that eight cards are used. The slivers produced in the several cards are advanced along a sliver support table beyond sliver feeding rolls and over an accumulator box to the drafting mechanism in which the slivers are drafted as a single sliver. The sliver issuing from the drafting mechanism passes to calender rolls and a coiler, which deposits the sliver in a can, and periodically, a can changing mechanism is operated automatically to replace the full can with an empty one.

The invention provides a novel drive and control mech anism from which are driven and controlled the dolfer cylinder and the feed, lap and calender rolls of the several cards, as well as the drafting mechanism and the coiler with its calender rolls and can changing mechanism, such drive and control mechanism including a predetermined can changing control, and sliver break and lap-up detectors and the like.

Another major object of the invention is to provide a novel multiple card driving and control mechanism by which the card feeding rolls and doffer cylinder may be operated at a slow speed during the can changing operation. This is particularly important in a practical multiple card system since, if the doffer cylinder of the card is stopped, even for a short period of time, while the main cylinder is in motion, an extremely light section will be produced transversely in the web that is being removed from the doffer cylinder and being formed into a sliver. If a heavy section follows such a thin section, the sliver will often break when the doffer cylinder is restarted or the sliver will plug the trumpet that conventionally precedes the card output calender rolls. If as a result the card web breaks, a pile-up of fibers will take place in front of the doffer and occasionally this mass of fibers will be caught by the doffer and fed back to the main cylinder causing the card to jam and frequently tearing card clothing from the cylinders causing substantial card damage. Furthermore, such a thin section of the web, even if initiating no machine damage, will impair the quality of the resulting sliver. For these reasons, it is most desirable that the doifer cylinder continues to rotate as long as the main cylinder is running.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel multiple card driving and control mechanism, whereby, by a combination of mechanical and electrical functions, sliver breakage will be avoided during the can changing operation. In one embodiment of this invention, it is preferred to stop the drafting mechanism and coiler during this operation. It is apparent that if the doffer cylinders were running at full speed while this operation was being performed, the pile-up of sliver in back of the drafting element would be excessive. The present invention, however, provides means for reducing the speed of the dolfer cylinders to a low value, a creep speed, which reduces such pile-up to a minimum, thus eliminating waste as well as the time consuming operation of removing this excess and piecing the sliver together, in order to again start up the apparatus after the can changing cycle is completed. This is accomplished by providing an accumulator box between the sliver feeding rolls and the drafting mechanism to receive the small amount of excess sliver which is accumulated during the short time that the drafting mechanism is stopped. The tension draft provided between the back roll of the drafting mechanism and the sliver supporting table calender rolls allows this excess to be taken up quickly when the unit returns to full speed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide mechanical and electrical controls to shift the dofier and its allied parts to creep speed and at the same time deenergize the main driving motor and brake the main cylinders to stop the entire unit when a lap-up occurs in the draw box or a sliver break occurs between the cards and the draw bax. Such shift to creep speed, as described in the above paragraph, also reduces the excessive pile-up of slivers during this operation.

In general, it is an overall object of the invention to provide a novel and improved multiple card drive and control mechanism by means of which the several cards are simultaneously operated and controlled in a most effective and simple manner.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a novel magnetic drafting element having lap-up detector means, such being particularly useful in conjunction with the multiple card of the invention.

It is another specific object of the invention to provide novel photoelectric sliver guide and break detector means, such also being particularly useful in conjunction with the multiple card of the invention.

With these and other objects in view as many hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall plan somewhat diagrammatic view of the multiple card apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another detail view of a portion of the multiple card apparatus of FIG. 1;

'FIG. 4 is an electrical circuit diagram of the multiple card apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are, respectively, plan and cross sectional side views of the novel sliver turning guide and detector of the invention; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are, respectively, plan, side and cross sectional detail views of the novel lap-up detecting magnetic drafting element of the invention.

The multiple carding and drafting apparatus herein disclosed in FIG. 1 comprises a series of cards generally designated 20a, 20b, 200, which may vary conveniently between four and twelve in number and which may in the present instance be assumed to be eight, of which three are shown.

Each card is generally conventional and complete in itself except for its drives and controls as hereinafter described. Thus, each card comprises generally a main cylinder 22 over which is drawn in conventional manner an endless series of flats not here specifically shown. The lap of textile fibers is fed onto the main cylinder by means of mechanism which includes a so-called licker-in 24, a lap roll 26 and a relatively small diameter feed roll 28. From the main cylinder 22 the fiber is transferred to the dofiFer cylinder 30, is removed therefrom by a doffing comb 32, is passed between calender rolls 34 to a silver break detector and turning guide generally designated 40 and thence onto a long transverse flat sliver support table 50 on which is deposited the sliver from each of the several adjacent cards. The cards 20' of which three cards 20a, 20b and 20c are shown, are disposed side by side with their main cylinder shafts 36 aligned and connected by couplings 38. On cylinder shaft 36a of the card 20a is mounted a speed reduction unit 62 which has its input shaft 61 connected to the output shaft 63 of an electric motor 64, through a belt and pulley connection 65. An electric brake 67 is provided on input shaft 61. The cylinder shaft 36 of each card is connected by a belt and pulley drive 25 to licker-in 24 of the card, so that the licker-in 24 is at all times driven with main cylinder 22. Another pulley on the cylinder shaft 36 is connected by a pulley and operating connections therefrom, not here shown, for driving the series of flats (not shown) which overlie the main cylinder 22. The doffing comb 32 for each of the cards also is driven from the associated cylinder shaft 36 through connections not specifically shown but which may be of ordinary description.

According to the invention, each of the several doffer cylinders 30, the feed rolls 28, and calender rolls 34, are individually driven as to each card from a counter shaft which extends across the delivery ends of all the cards 20. The counter shaft 70 is in turn driven from the motor 64 by belt drive 66 through a variable speed shifting and declutching transmission and belt drive 68 from its output shaft 81. Said transmission is shiftable between a high operating speed and a slow creep speed, for can changing and other purposes, as hereinafter more fully described.

More specifically, each of the dofier cylinders 30 are individually driven from the counter shaft 70 by means of a pulley drive 72 and gear drive 74. The associated feed roll 28 for each card is individually driven from the dolfer 30 by means of a rearwardly extending shaft 76 connected at its forward end through suitable bevel gears and at its rear end through similar bevel gears to feed roll 28. The lap roll 26 is driven from the feed roll 28 by means of a gear train 27, so that the feed or fiber to the card will vary with the speed of doffer cylinder 30, which in turn controls the out-feed of card web from the card through calender rolls 34 which are operated in synchonism with the doifer cylinder, being driven by gear drive 78 from gear drive 74.

The drafting element 100, hereinafter more fully described, is separately driven from transmission 80, although it might also be driven by counter shaft 70, through a magnetically operated clutching and braking unit 102, having clutch element 102-1 and brake element 102-2 which drives drafting element input shaft 104. This unit includes a drafting element input shaft 104 which is driven from the transmission output shaft 82 by means of a pulley drive 101 therebetween. Unit 102 comprises a magnetically controlled clutch 102-1 which in turn drives shaft 104, a brake 102-2 being operable to brake said shaft and hence drafting element 100, as hereinafter more fully explained as is the connection and operation of the sliver discontinuity detectors,

lap-up detector switches 108 and 109 associated with drafting element 100. A conventional coiler mechanism (not shown) including calender rolls 107 is also driven from shaft 104.

Sliver support table 50 extends along the delivery ends of the cards to terminate close to drafting mechanism 100, the sliver being fed from the individual card calender rolls 34 around sliver break detectors and turning guides 40 hereinafter described in detail and moved along said table 50 by helper rolls 52, 64 the latter being driven from calender rolls 34 by gear drive 56. An accumulator box 58 is provided between the last set of helper rolls 54 and drafting mechanism 100, and a slight sliver pickup is established between the latter so that the drafting mechanism 100 will take sliver away from helper rolls 54 somewhat faster than the sliver is fed from said helper rolls, preferably at a sliver pick-up ratio of feed pick-up of about 1 to 1.05-1.08, this being necessary to pick up sliver accumulated in box 58, during can changing, for example, as hereinafter described.

A full can measuring device 105, such as a predetermined yardage counter or other quantity measuring device, is driven from drafting element input shaft 104 through gear device 106 for initiating the can changing cycle, to remove a full can F and replace it with an empty can E, such being accomplished by full can pusher cylinder 130 with its associated valve 132 and switches 134, 135 and empty can pusher cylinder 140 with its associated valve 142 and switches 144.

The novel sliver break detector and turning guide of the invention generally designated 40 is shown in FIGS. and 6. It includes, mounted on the sliver supporting surface of table 50 a pair of upstanding guide members 42, 46 having rounded lower surfaces 41, 45 adjacent to supporting surface 50 which are generally perpendicular thereto and spaced upper surfaces 43, 47 which are at an angle to said supporting surface and are preferably some what divergent. Lip surface 47 of member 46 overlies the surface 43 of member 42- and extends well beyond the slot formed between lower surfaces 41, 45 in a direction gene-rally across the entering sliver S and away from the departing sliver which turns through an angle of about 90 in passing through the guide, such lip surface not only serving to form a guide for more easily inserting the sliver, but also serving to assist in shielding its photoelectric elements from overhead ambient light. Suitable photo-electric elements, such as lamp 44 and photo-cell 48 face one another across the surfaces 41, 45, with their transparent lenses 44a and 48a in effect forming a part of said surfaces, to detect the presence of sliver S therebetween.

The transmission 80 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. Its input shaft 84 is driven by motor 64 through belt drive 66. Fixed to shaft 84 is a gear train 85 driving shaft 86. Also fixed to shaft 86 is a small gear forming a part of gear train 87 and an electric clutch 88, driving a gear train 89. Shaft 90 is driven by gear train 89 and in turn can drive output shaft 81 through gear train 92. Shaft 81 can also be driven directly from shaft 86 by gear train 87, which includes compound gear 93 rotatably mounted on shaft 90, by means of over-running clutch 94. Output shaft 82 is driven from shaft 81 by means of suitable bevel gears 95.

The function of the transmission is as follows: For normal card operating speed the motor power is transmitted to input shaft 84; through gear train 85 to shaft 86 and thence through the energized and engaged electric clutch 88 and gear train 89 to shaft 90, thence through gear train 92 to output shaft 81 and 82. Gear train 92 comprises change gears for varying the total production.

For creep speed during can changing, for example, the power is transmitted to shaft 86 as described above. However, in this condition electric clutch 88 is deenergized, so that gear train 89 is no longer driven by shaft 86. The power is then transmitted from shaft 86 through gear train 87 including compound gear 93 impart ing a much slower speed to the output shaft 81. Gear train 87 in this condition drives through over-running clutch 94, since said clutch is not otherwise driven by gear train 92 to over-run the slower speed driving of its driven element of the creep speed gear train 87.

The novel magnetic, lap-up detecting drafting element of the invention is shown in FIGS. 79. It includes a series of four ferrous bottom rolls 110, 112, 114 and 116 and cooperating top rolls 111, 113, and 117 for drafting a sliver passing therethrough. Bottom rolls 110, 112, 114 and 116 are mounted in suitable bearings on frame 120 and are driven in the usual manner from shaft 104 by suitable gears to drive the rolls at increasing speeds in the direction of sliver movement and so draft a sliver passing therethrough. Mounted on frame 120 is a pair of bars 122, 124 having downwardly extending rear portions 123, 125 pivotally supported on frame 120. The forward end of said bars, which extend over all of the top rolls, overlies and is supported in operating position by fixed support 121 which extends upwardly from frame 120. Knobs 126, 128 are provided on the forward ends of bars 122, 124 for raising them from operative to inoperative position, and lap-up switches 108, 109 are mounted on supports 121 for operation by each bar.

The top rolls have reduced end portions 136 carrying sleeve elements 138 and bearing block elements 139 with anti-friction bearings 137 therebetween, and are each supported and guided at each end by slotted elements supported in turn on bars 122, 124. Thus top roll 111 is supported by elements 150, 151 on bars 122, 124 respectively; roll 113 by elements 152, 153; roll 115 by elements 154, 155; and roll 117 by elements 156, 157. These elements have bores supporting them for adjustable positioning along bars 122, 124 and may be fixed in any desired adjusted position by set screws 162. A downwardly extending slot is provided on each of said elements between their legs 164, 166 for receiving the bearing blocks 139 of the top rolls, said top rolls being free to move up or down in said slots for a limited distance, limited in a direction toward the lower, open end of the slot by a stop member 168 and limited in a direction toward the upper, closed end of the slot by an adjustable screw contact 170'.

In normal running position (FIG. 9) the bearing block 139 is out of contact with stop 168, since top roll 111 is supported by its contact with lower roll 110 to space block 139 above stop 168, while if the bars 122, 124 be raised to pull the top rolls away from their cooperating bottom rolls, in so doing, stops 168 are raised into contact with bearing blocks 139 and through said stops is applied the force necessary to pull the magnetic top rolls away from their cooperating bottom rolls.

If a lap-up should occur so that an excess of fiber appears between any of the pairs of top and bottom rolls, such roll will move upward until its bearing blonck 139 contacts adjustable contact 170, and thereafter further accumulation of fiber will raise bars 122 or 124, or both. As soon as a bar 122 or 124 is raised to an appreciable degree by such a lap-up occurring on any of the rolls, switches 108 or 109 will be operated.

For integrated operation of each of the above described elements, primarily to achieve automatic can changing but also for other purposes including starting and stopping the multiple card apparatus for reasons of failure of sliver delivery or otherwise, the invention provides suitable electrical circuitry shown in FIG. 4. In general, the driving and control mechanism of the illustrated machine is particularly adapted for the driving of a plurality of cards in side by side relation as a single unit, and for controlling said cards during the can changing operation in such a manner as to prevent separation or marking of the sliver, and particularly without stopping certain of the machine elements. In the preferred embodiment shown, the can changing operation is performed automatically to reduce so far as possible the time required for this operation. The arrangement of the driving connections in which a counter shaft 70 is provided extending across the delivery ends of the several cards, which shaft is driven by a speed shifting transmission 80 connected to drive individually each of the dofiing cylinders, the feed rolls at the feed side of the main cylinders, the calender rolls, and helper rolls, the rolls of the drafting mechanism and the coiler and its calender rolls as a single integrated unit, provides an extremely accurate simultaneous control for the slowing of these units to a creep speed or stopping the drafting and coiler elements and for subsequently re-establishing the full operating speed thereof during and following the can changing operation when the counter shaft is first slowed to its creep speed for the can changing operation and is then returned to its customary operating speed. In the arrangement shown it will be understood that the several elements of the machine referred to are slowed to a desired lower speed while the main cylinders 20 continue to be driven at their customary peripheral rate.

An electrical drive and control system is provided for the machine as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, only those connections being shown which are believed necessary for a full understanding of the present invention. Mechanically interconnected switches and similar elements, and relays and their contacts are similarly numbered with further individual identifying reference numerals. As shown in the electrical diagram, the main motor 64 may be connected between two lines 201 and 202 in series with normally closed lap-up relay contacts 204-1, a start switch 205, a stop switch 206, drafting mechanism brake interlock switch contacts 207-2 and a relay 208 having contacts 208-1 which provide a holding circuit for the start switch 205. The transmission clutch solenoid 88 is connected across lines 201 and 202 in series with creep speed selector switch 209, normally closed lap-up relay contacts 204-2 and normally closed can changing relay contacts 210-2. The drafting element clutch and brake unit 102 has its clutch portion 102-1 and brake unit 102-2 separately connected, the former being in series with normally closed lap-up rclay contacts 204-3 and normally closed time delayed can changing relay contacts 210-3, while the latter is in series with brake release switch 207-1 and a parallel connection of normally open lap-up relay contacts 204-4 and normally open time delayed can changing relay contacts 210-4. If it be desired to continue to run the drafting mechanism at creep speed while changing cans, contacts 210-2 can be shorted and contacts 210-4 omitted.

The energizing elements for the can changing cycle include the normally open predetermined yardage counter switch contacts 105-1. Such counters are well known to those skilled in the art and need not be herein further described except as to their function of mechanically and momentarily closing a set of switch contacts 105-1 upon reaching a predetermined yardage of sliver fed between a pair of rolls, as determined by the number of revolutions of said rolls. With such arrangement there need be no provision for resetting, although such can be included if desired. As herein shown, the yardage counter 105 is driven with drafting mechanism 100. The contacts 105-1 are provided with a parallel normally open momentary switch 214 for manual initiation of the can changing cycle and are in series with normally closed empty can limit switch contacts 144-2 and can changing relay coil 210 having contacts 210-1 which provide a holding circuit. The full can solenoid valves 132 and empty can solenoid valve 142 have their operation initiated by can changing relay coil 210, the former valve being in series with its normally open time delay contacts 210-5 and contacts 212-2 of can relay coil 212, and the latter valve being in series with normally open limit switch 134 and contacts 212-3 of coil 212. Said coil is itself connected in series with normally closed limit switch contacts 144-1 and limit switch 135, and has a holding circuit consisting of its contacts 212-1.

The normally closed lap-up switches 108, 109 are in series with one another, with the lap-up coil 204 and with the normally closed contacts 220-1 of the sliver break relay coil 220. The latter is in series with the normally closed sliver break switches 40-1 and 40-2 which are a part of sliver break detector and turning guide 40, and actuates contacts 220-2 in series with yellow warning light 218. Switches 40-1 and 40-2 can be shorted by contacts 222-1, which are mechanically connected to contacts 222-2 in parallel with contacts 220-2 so that light 218 will remain lit so long as contacts 220-2 remain shorted by contacts 222-1. A red lap-up warning light 216 is provided in series with normally open lap-up relay contacts 204-5 and main cylinder brake 67 is similarly connected with contacts 204-6.

In order to start the multiple card apparatus, assuming slivers extend continuously therethrough, the selector switch 209 is turned to ON position and with the start push button 205 the unit is started at creep speed. After the main cylinders 22 are up to speed, the creep switch 209 is turned to OFF position, which results in automatically shifting to normal speed. In conventional operation, fibers are removed from the doffer cylinder in the form of sliver which is passed around sliver break detectors and turning guides 40, assembled on table 50, passed through drafting element and coiled into a can F.

To stop the apparatus, button 206 is pushed, so that the apparatus will decelerate to a stop, leaving slivers extending continuously therethrough for restarting as set forth above.

After a predetermined number of yards of sliver has been fed to the can F, to fill it, the automatic can changing cycle is initiated by the yardage counter 105, switch -1 of which momentarily closes. This energizes the time delay relay coil 210, closing its contacts 210-1. At the same time, its contacts 210-2 open, de-energizing transmission clutch 88, and so shifting from normal to creep speed. After a predetermined length of time for the rotating elements to decelerate to creep speed, time delay contacts 210-3 open, de-energizing drafting mechanism clutch 102-1 and time delay contacts 210-4 close, energizing drafting element brake 102-2, stopping the drafting element. At the same time, time delay contacts 210-5 close, energizing the full can air valve solenoid 132, starting the air cylinder moving out the full can F. When cylinder 130 is fully extended so that the full can F is clear, the movable element thereof contacts limit switch which closes, energizing relay coil 212, closing contacts 212-1 and opening contacts 212-2, resulting in de-energizing the full can air valve 132 solenoid for spring return and so allowing the full can air cylinder 130 to return to its normal position. At the same time, contacts 212-2 are closed. When air cylinder 130 is fully retracted, its limit switch 134 closes, energizing the empty can air cylinder solenoid 142, starting the empty can air cylinder to move the empty can E into full can position. When air cylinder 140 is fully extended, limit switch contacts 144-1 open, de-energizing relay coil 212, allowing the empty can cylinder 140 to return to its normal position. At the same time, limit switch contacts 144-2 open, de-energizing time delay relay coil 210 and opening its contacts 210-4, thus de-energizing the drafting element brake 102-2 and closing its contacts 210-3, thus energizing the drafting element clutch 102-1 in order to start the drafting element. At the same time the de-energizing of relay coil 210 closes contacts 210-2, energizing transmission clutch 88 to return the unit to normal speed. A push button 214 provided on the control panel makes possible manual can changing as desired.

As has been pointed out above, during the entire can changing cycle, the feeding and dofiing elements of the cards themselves continue to run at creep speed, so that the card slivers continue to be fed along sliver table 50 9. by helper rolls 52, 54. However, since the rolls of the drafting mechanism 100 are stopped during the can changing cycle, the drafting mechanism will not move the combined slivers away from helper rolls 54. Rather, in accordance with one feature of the invention, the slivers being fed at creep speed by helper rolls '54 will accumulate in accumulator box 58, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. However, when the can changing cycle is completed, the excess of speed of the back rolls of the drafting mechanism 100 over the speed of helper rolls 54 will gradually pick up the excess sliver accumulated in accumulator box 54. Thus, the cards can continue to run and produce sliver during the can changing cycle, without sliver damage or breakage as a result of the can changing cycle. This is a particularly important and unique feature of the present invention.

When a lap-up occurs on any of the top or bottom rolls of the drafting element, one of the lap-up detector contacts 108, 109 opens, de-energizing relay coil 204, closing its contacts 204-5 and lighting the red signal light 216. At the same time, contacts 204-3 open, de-energizing drafting mechanism clutch 102-1 and closing contacts 204-4, energizing drafting mechanism brake 102-2 and positively stopping the drafting mechanism. At the same time, contacts 204-2 open, de-energizing transmission clutch 88 to shift the transmission output from normal to creep speed. Also at the same time, contacts 204-1 open, de-energizing the driving motor 64 and so allowing the entire unit to stop, contacts 204-6 also closing to energize main cylinder brake 67. Red light 216 is also energized. A selector switch 207-1 is provided on the control panel manually to de-energize the drafting mechanism brake 102-2 so that the drafting rolls and coiler can be turned by hand to piece up the sliver. After the lap-up is removed and the sliver is pieced, the unit is again ready to start.

If the sliver breaks at the card calender roll, one of the sliver break detector switches 40-1 and 40-2 (one set for each card) opens, de-energizing relay coil 220, closing its contacts 220-2 and lighting yellow light 218. At the same time, contacts 220-1 open, de-energizing relay coil 204. This shifts transmission 88 to creep speed, stops the drafting mechanism and de-energizes the driving motor as described above. Both red light 216 and yellow light 218 will be lit in this condition. After the break in the sliver has been repaired, the unit can be started as described above.

Thus, it will be seen that the invention provides a novel multiple card apparatus, as well as a novel lap-up detecting magnetic drafting element and a novel photoelectric sliver break detector. Various modifications of the invention, not herein disclosed, but within the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims, will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a carding and drafting apparatus comprising a plurality of sliver-producing cards, each having a main cylinder element with an input feed roll element and an output doifer cylinder element, said cards being arranged in formation to operate as a unit, the combination therewith comprising:

a drafting mechanism, having drafting elements adapted to receive and draft card sliver, and having sliver collecting means for collecting the drafted sliver as packages in receptacles;

receptacle changing means associated with said collecting means, for shifting a filled receptacle from a collecting position and shifting an empty receptacle into said collecting position upon activation;

synchronous operating speed driving means for driving all of said element synchronously at an operating speed upon activation;

synchronous creep speed driving means for driving a plurality of said element synchronously at a creep speed upon activation;

speed reducing means for reducing the speed of a plurality of said elements upon activation;

signal responsive control means for selectively activating and deactivating driving and changing means in response to signals imparted thereto, said control means being connected to all of said means for effecting the starting, stopping and changing operations of said apparatus; and

signal imparting means for imparting signals to said control means and being associated therewith.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1,

' wherein said signal imparting means includes a sliver lap-up detector associated with said drafting mechanism, for imparting a stop signal to said control means upon detection of a sliver lap-up at said drafting mechanism, and

whereby said control means, in response to said stop signal, deactivates both of said synchronous driving means and activates said speed reducing means.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1,

wherein said signal imparting means includes a sliver discontinuity detector, positioned between at least one of said cards and said drafting mechanism, for imparting a stop signal to said control means upon detection of a sliver discontinuity therebetween, and whereby said control means, in response to said stop signals, deactivates both of said synchronous driving means and activates said speed reducing means.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said signal imparting means further includes a sliver lap-up detector associated with said drafting mechanism for imparting said emergency stop signal to said control means upon detection of a sliver lapup at said drafting mechanism.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said speed-reducing means includes brake means associated with said drafting mechanism for braking said drafting elements thereof, and brake means associated with said cards for braking the main cylinder elements thereof.

6. Apparatus as in claim 1,

wherein said signal imparting means includes manually operable switch means for imparting a stop signal to said control means, and

whereby said control means in response to said stop signal deactivates both of said synchronous driving means and also deactivates said speed reducing means.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1,

wherein said signal imparting means includes receptacle changing signal means, associated with said drafting mechanism, for imparting a receptacle changing signal to said control means, and

whereby said control means, in response to siad receptacle changing signal, activates said receptacle changing means. 8. In a carding apparatus comprising a plurality of cards each having a main cylinder with an input feed roll and an output doifer cylinder, the cards being arranged in a row for operation as a unit, the combination therewith comprising:

a drafting mechanism; sliver feeding means for feeding a plurality of slivers from said doifer cylinders to said drafting mechanism;

shiftable driving means for shifting said feed rolls, doffer cylinders and drafting mechanism between an operating and a creep speed;

main cylinder driving means for driving said main cylinders at an operating speed; signal responsive control means connected to both of said main cylinder and said shiftable driving means for selectively activating and deactivating the same inresponse from signals imparted thereto; and

signal imparting means connected to said control means for imparting signals thereto.

9. A carding and drafting apparatus comprising:

a plurality of cards each having a main cylinder, an

input feed roll and an output dotfer cylinder;

main cylinder driving means for driving all of said main cylinders simultaneously;

doifer cylinder driving means for driving all of said doffer cylinders simultaneously and being shiftable between an operating speed and a creep speed;

a drafting mechanism associated with said cards;

drafting mechanism driving means for driving said drafting mechanism;

sliver feeding means for feeding a plurality of slivers from said doffer cylinders to said drafting mechanism; sliver quantity defining means for establishing the amount of sliver from said drafting mechanism to be collected as a package in a receptacle;

receptacle changing means associated with said drafting mechanism and said sliver quantity defining means for shifting a filled receptacle from and an empty receptacle to a sliver receiving position adjacent said drafting mechanism; and

control means connected to said receptacle changing means, said dotfer cylinder driving means and said drafting mechanism driving means for controlling the operations thereof, and responsive to said defining means,

whereby said control means is effective to change the speed of said drafting mechanism driving means in response to said sliver quantity defining means to a creep speed, to change the speed of said doffer cylinder driving means to a creep speed and to then actuate said receptacle changing means to replace a filled receptacle with an empty receptacle at said sliver receiving position, and to maintain said main cylinder means at an operating speed during the aforesaid operations, and

whereby said control means, following the replacement of said receptacles, is effective to change the speed of said drafting mechanism driving means and said doffer cylinder driving means from said creep speed to an operating speed.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9 including lap-up detector means associated with said drafting mechanism for detecting sliver lap-ups thereat, said detector means being connected and arranged to de-energize said doffer cylinder driving means.

11. In a carding and drafting apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further including sliver break detector means adjacent said sliver feeding means, said sliver break detector means being connected and arranged to de-energize all said drive means.

12. An apparatus as in claim 9 including main cylinder braking means for braking said main cylinders, and

sliver discontinuity detecting means associated with said control means for detecting discontinuities in sliver between said cards and said drafting mechanism,

wherein said control means is connected to said main cylinder driving means and said main cylinder braking means, and

whereby said control means, upon signal from said sliver discontinuity means, de-energizes said main cylinder driving means and energizes said main cylinder braking means to stop said apparatus. 13. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said sliver feeding means includes a pair of feeding rolls positioned between said cards and said drafting mechanism, and further includes accumulator means for accumulating excess sliver from said feeding rolls, positioned between said rolls and said drafting mechanism,

whereby said drafting mechanism is operated at a higher operating speed than said pair of feeding rolls to pick up sliver accumulated in said accumulator means.

14. In a carding and drafting apparatus comprising a plurality of cards each having a main cylinder, an input feed roll and an output doffer cylinder, said cards being arranged in a row with their main cylinder shafts aligned and coupled together, the combination therewith comprising:

main cylinder braking means for braking the rotation of said main cylinders;

feed roll and doffer cylinder driving means, including a multiple speed transmission, for simultaneously driving said feed rolls and said doffer cylinders as a unit, said transmission being shiftable between an operating and a creep speed;

a drafting mechanism;

drafting mechanism driving means for changing the speed of said drafting mechanism;

motor means for driving said main cylinder shafts, said transmission and said drafting mechanism and being connected thereto;

sliver feeding means for feeding a plurality of slivers from said dotfing cylinders to said drafting mechanism;

sliver discontinuity detecting means for detecting discontinuity of sliver between said cards and said drafting mechanism;

sliver quantity defining means for establishing the amount of sliver from said drafting mechanism to be collected as a package in a receptacle;

receptacle changing means for shifting a filled receptacle from and an empty receptacle into a sliver collecting position adjacent said drafting mechanism; and

control means for controlling the operations of the aforesaid means of the apparatus, being responsive to said sliver discontinuity detecting means and to said sliver quantity defining means and being connected to said motor means, main cylinder braking means, said drafting mechanism driving means, said receptacle changing means and said transmission,

whereby said control means, upon signal from said sliver discontinuity detecting means, de-energizes said motor means and energizes said main cylinder braking means to stop said apparatus, and

whereby said control means, upon signal from said sliver quantity defining means, changes the speed of said drafting mechanism through said driving means therefor to a creep speed, shifts said multiple transmission to drive said feed rolls and doffer cylinders at a creep speed and actuates said receptacle changing means to shift receptacles and maintains said main cylinder driving means at an operating speed, and

whereby said control means, following said shifting of receptacles, shifts said transmission to drive said feed rolls and doffer cylinders at an operating speed and changes the speed of said drafting mechanism through said driving means therefor to an operating speed.

15. In a carding and drafting apparatus comprising a plurality of cards each having a main cylinder, an input feed roll and an output doffer cylinder, said cards being arranged in a row with their main cylinder shafts aligned and coupled together, the combination therewith comprising:

brake means for braking said main cylinder shafts;

driving means, including a multiple speed transmis sion, for driving said feed rolls and said dofier cylinders as a unit, said transmission being shiftable between an operating speed and a creep speed;

a drafting mechanism having clutch and brake means for changing the speed of said mechanism and stopping it;

motor means for driving said main cylinder shafts,

said transmission and said drafting mechanism; sliver feeding means for feeding a plurality of slivers from said dolfer cylinders to said drafting mechanism, said feeding means including a pair of feeding rolls positioned between said cards and said drafting mechanism, and further including an accumulator means for accumulating excess sliver from said feeding rolls and positioned between said rolls and said drafting mechanism,

whereby said drafting mechanism is operated at a higher speed than said feeding rolls so as to pick up excess sliver accumulated in said accumulator means; sliver discontinuity detecting means for detecting discontinuity of sliver between said cards and said drafting mechanism; sliver quantity defining means for establishing the amount of sliver from said drafting mechanism to be collected as a package in a receptacle; receptacle changing means for shifting a filled receptacle from and an empty receptacle to a sliver receiving position adjacent said drafting mechanism; and control means for controlling the operations of the aforesaid means of the apparatus and being responsive to said sliver discontinuity detecting means and to said sliver quantity defining means, and being connected to said main cylinder braking means, said drafting mechanism clutch and brake means, said transmission and to said receptacle changing means,

whereby said control means is effective upon signal from said sliver discontinuity detecting means to de-energize said motor means and to energize said main cylinder brake means and said drafting mechanism clutch and brake means to stop said apparatus, and whereby said control means is effective upon signal from said sliver quantity defining means to stop said drafting mechanism, to shift said transmission to drive said feeding rolls and said doffer cylinders at a creep speed, and to activate said receptacle changing means to shift said filled and empty receptacles, and further whereby said control means, following said shifting of said receptacles, is effective to drive said drafting mechanism at an operating speed and to shift said transmission to drive said feeding rolls and doffer cylinders at an operating speed.

16. In a carding and drafting apparatus comprising a plurality of cards, each having a main cylinder, the combination therewith comprising:

main cylinder brake means for braking said main cylinders;

a drafting mechanism associated with said cards, having a brake means for braking said mechanism; motor means for driving said main cylinders and said drafting mechanism;

sliver feeding means for feeding a plurality of slivers from said cards to said drafting mechanism;

sliver discontinuity detecting means for detecting sliver discontinuity between said cards and said drafting mechanism; and

control means for controlling the operation of said apparatus, being responsive to said sliver discontinuity means and being connected to said main cylinder brake means and to said drafting mechanism brake means,

whereby said control means upon signal from said sliver discontinuity detecting means is effective to energize both of said brake means upon the occurrence of sliver discontinuity, and said control means including unbraking means for unbraking said drafting mechanism brake means while maintaining braked said main cylinders.

17. In a carding and drafting element as claimed in claim 16 wherein said drafting mechanism has clutch means, said control means being effective to disconnect said clutch means upon the occurrence of a sliver discontinuity.

18. In a carding and drafting apparatus comprising a plurality of cards each having a main cylinder, an input feed roll and an output doffer cylinder, the combination therewith comprising:

main cylinder drive means for driving said main cylinders;

main cylinder brake means for braking said main cylinders;

doffer cylinder drive means for driving all of said doffer cylinders simultaneously from said main cylinder drive mean-s, and being connected thereto;

a drafting mechanism having clutch and brake means for braking said drafting mechanism;

drafting mechanism drive means for driving said drafting mechanism from said main cylinder drive means; sliver feeding means for feeding a plurality of slivers from said cards to said drafting mechanism;

sliver discontinuity detecting means for detecting discontinuity in sliver between said cards and said drafting mechanism; and

control means for controlling the operations of said apparatus, being connected to said main cylinder brake means and said drafting mechanism clutch and brake means, and being responsive to said sliver discontinuity detecting means,

whereby said control means is effective to energize both of said brake means and disconnect said clutch means u-pon occurrence of a sliver discontinuity.

19. In a carding and drafting apparatus comprising a plurality of cards each having a main cylinder, an input feed roll and an output doifer cylinder, the combination therewith comprising:

main cylinder drive means for driving said main cylinders;

feed roll and dotfer cylinder drive means, including multiple speed transmission means for shifting said feed rolls and said doifer cylinders between an operating speed and a creep speed;

a drafting mechanism associated with said cards;

drafting mechanism drive means for changing the speed of said drafting mechanism;

motor means for driving said main cylinder drive means, said transmission and said drafting mechanism; sliver feeding means for feeding a plurality of slivers from said cards to said drafting mechanism;

quantity defining means for establishing the amount of sliver from said drafting mechanism to be collected as a package in a receptacle, being associated with said drafting mechanism;

receptacle changing means for shifting a filled receptacle from and an empty receptacle into a sliver collecting position adjacent said drafting mechanism; and

control means for controlling the operations of said apparatus, being connected to said drafting mechanism drive means and said transmission means, and responsive to said quantity defining means,

whereby said control means upon signal from said quantity defining means is effective to change the speed of said drafting mechanism drive means and to shift said transmission to drive said rolls and doifer cylinders at a creep speed, and also to actuate said receptacle changing means to effect shifting of said receptacles while maintaining said main cylinders at an operating speed, and whereby said control means, following said shifting of said receptacles, is effective to shift said 15 transmission to drive said feed rolls and said dotfer cylinder-s at an operating speed and to drive said drafting mechanism at an operating speed. 20. In a carding and drafting apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said drafting mechanism drive means includes a clutch for stopping said drafting element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 581,548 4/1897 Geb 19-.22 1,132,878 3/1915 Pilling 19-106 2,800,686 7/1957 Long et a1 19.26 XR 16 2,813,309 11/1957 West et a1. 19-.26 3,102,305 9/1963 Haneda et a1 19.2 XR 3,134,144 5/1964 Still 19-98 3,199,151 8/1965 Bird 19.25

FOREIGN PATENTS 3,922 of 1872 GreatBritain. 265,438 2/1927 GreatBritain.

10 DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

